How to find out which screen is on your HTC EVO

During the last month or so, you may have heard some chatter about two different screens being used on the HTC EVO: one made by Novatec, the other made by Epson.

Novatec supply shortages are said to be the reason that HTC began using Epson displays, and which one is better seems to be a matter of personal opinion and preference. Some believe Novatecs are better because of their warmth and brightness, while others like Epsons because of their coolness and accuracy.

It's a matter of taste, really, and the difference is something you notice only when you have two EVOs sitting in front of you to compare them side-by-side.

Even so, you still might like to know which company is responsible for the screen you look at all day on your EVO. Lucky for you, it's incredibly easy to do.

There are two ways to check it: using a widget or using an app. Both are fast and free.

Method 1

Add the preinstalled Power Control widget to your home screen.

Tap the brightness button. If the screen brightness fades into the next level, it's a Novatec display. If the brightness instantly switches to the next level, it's an Epson display.

Method 2

Download Android Terminal Emulator from Android Market.

Launch the app.

Type dmesg and press the Enter key on your keyboard.

Email the results to yourself by tapping the EVO's Menu key and "Email to" from the options that appear.

In your email, do a search (Ctrl + F) for novatec and/or epson. Whichever one is found is the display you have.

I have a Novatec screen on my EVO (hardware version 003). What do you have on yours?

Thanks, 143days!

About the Author

Jenn K. Lee is the founder of Pocketables. She loves gadgets the way most women love shoes and purses. The pieces in her tech wardrobe that go with everything are currently the Samsung Galaxy Note II, Sony Tablet P, and Nexus 7, but there are still a couple of vintage UMPCs/MIDs in the back of her closet.

I used Method **3**…dropped my EVO on the street and cracked the screen, scrape up the glass and analyze :-/ (PS. NOT A JOKE about dropping the phone…its in repair now :-( )

Charles Anderson

Dang, that sucks. Probably not a **recommended** method. ;)

Matthew

Novatec.. used method 1

RodS

Novatec… method 2

Knarf

Novatec on 003

benodiktine

Novatec: Used method 1

Erin

Impeccable timing, LOL. After days of derailed & failed searches through various fora, I FINALLY found the answer I needed, last night. It was quite the pita, sifting through endless threads, trying to locate a response on how to execute this on my phone, and NOT via a computer I don’t even own :o. Anyway, Novatec 003. Whateva.

Bill Dyszel

Epson. I would never have known the difference. Probably still wouldn’t.

http://profile.typepad.com/fishergeorge gmanvbva

Novatec HW 003 (Method 2)

Tia

Epson, based on method 1.

Brian

Epson, hardware version 0003.

WRX7M

Novatec method one

IcerJo

Novatec, used method one when i first got the phone last tuesday and i remember from an article(and a video) i was reading that novatec faded when changing the brightness. Just did a second method to confirm and yup its a Novatec for sure xD

Rusty Pitchfork

Novatec, used both methods. HW Rev 3.

neil

Epson. btw no need to email to yourself:

dmesg | grep epson
dmesg | grep novatec

Wade

Novatec Screen on H/W version 003 using Method 1

Raechel

Novatec.. used method 1 (previously looked up that I have hardware version 2)

Except you can’t enter the pipe symbol on the terminal emulator and you can’t run grep.

http://NoAgendaShow.com BmoreBadBoy

If you copy and paste into the terminal emulator it’s no problem. Novatec rev 2 here.

bk w/bloody sauce

epson display method 1

PhilR8

Novatec screen, used second method (terminal emulator), Hardware version 0002. This is one of the Google I/O Evos – I bought it off of ebay.

http://profile.typepad.com/davebaughman Dave Baughman

Novatec here (Hardware 0002). I used Method 2 to find it (didn’t email it to myself, though. Mine had the word “novatec” just a few lines down from the top when I scrolled back up).

I already was pretty sure I had a Novatec screen, though, as I applied the 30FPS fix from XDA last night, and maxed at around 46FPS average after the fix. Apparently the Novatec screen is only getting 45-47FPS average with the fix, whereas the Epson panels can get close to 60FPS.

Cam

Novatec Hardware Version 0003

Jeff

novatec, Hardware 002, I used the first method.

Dan

Epson. Hardware rev 3. 06/16/10 born on date.

Shaqona

Well whataya know…Novatec using method 1

cannonroofing@gmail.com

SO they can fix the screen? I dropped mine also after i had it about 12 days! I just re-ordered a new one because i have insurance. But of course i am waiting, going on a week so far. With no idea when i will get a new one. They keep telling me its on back order!

Richillion

Novatec 003 I want and Epsom lol

Fred

Ok, so I have a refurb replacement, I m running Fresh 4.0, and I did method 2 to find out what screen I have. Neither novatec or epson is coming up in search results, and after skimming through all the data I dont see either word either. I DO have the 100% brightness bug. All I see in the log file is continous “Panel_AUO set brightness = 89″ and so on, with the number increasing or decreasing, which is from when, I m assuming, I was trying to adjust the brightness. Any ideas? HW 003 btw.

Will

novatec, both methods. now does it matter which screen if I want to replace the complete housing?

linuxwiz

of course you can, i’m using htc mod keyboard

cranbiz

Novatec HW 004

Brightness bug is what tipped me off but confirmed with method 2

dianulhaq

using terminal emulator
$ dmesg | grep novatec

……
… novatec …
……

Jeffrey Browning

I’m in the same boat as the method “3″ guy. Any way to determine if you have the wide or narrow or wide flex cable without taking apart? Doe anyone know if is is related to this manufacturer change and if so when the change took place? My phone is more than a year old. Any help out there?